


Blumenthal

by friedtoffee



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Blumenthal, Caleb Widogast's Backstory, Caleb goes home, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:09:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24885880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/friedtoffee/pseuds/friedtoffee
Summary: Twenty years after his graduation, it is time for Caleb Widogast to return home
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22





	Blumenthal

The first time a strange man in expensive clothing came to Blumenthal, the town lost three of their brightest children. They had been taken away to Rexxentrum to the academy. The trio was only seen a few times before they vanished forever. The final time was right before they were to graduate. The next day, their families were dead and they were gone, never to be seen again. 

The next time a strange man came to Blumenthal was twenty years later. Helena, the innkeeper’s wife, was on her way to fetch water from the well when she noticed him. He sat in the small cemetery, facing one of the gravestones. She could hear him talking to the grave. She couldn’t make out most of the words from the distance she was at, but what she could hear was in Zemnian. Helena kept her distance, careful not to disturb the man. She fetched the water and made her way back to the inn. 

When Helena returned to the inn, she immediately went to find her husband Albert. He was in the kitchen preparing a simple breakfast for the one traveler who had stayed the night. She walked over to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. 

“Have you seen the man in the cemetery?” She asked him.

“No. I did not know there was a man in the cemetery,” Albert responded. 

“It was strange. I’ve never seen him before. His clothes were nice, nicer than anyone’s here, and he had long red hair that covered his face. He sat in front of one of the headstones and kept apologizing.”

They stood in the kitchen in silence for a moment and just looked at each other. Albert picked up a spoon and stirred the porridge in the pot. 

“Would you mind going and checking on him?” Helena asked, “I would have but I did not want to disturb him. I just want to make sure he is safe. I’ll finish up breakfast.”

“Only for you,” Albert kissed her forehead and then handed her the spoon he was holding. 

•••••

Caleb decided that night would be the best time to return to Blumenthal. If he timed it right, he could be in and out without having to see anyone he knew. It would be better for the town not to know what happened to Bren Aldric Ermemdrud. The day before, he teleported from Xhorhas to Rexxentrum. He then traveled to Blumenthal from there. 

He reached the town just after the sun had set. This was the first time Caleb entered the town of Blumenthal since that night. He was nervous, there was no denying that. He kept twitching his sweaty hands, extending his fingers, then forming a fist again. He took a deep breath and continued through the streets. 

The land where the old Ermendrud home once stood was not far into town. Caleb remembered the exact spot. A new house stood there now. Caleb faces the house and just stared at it. Memories flooded his mind. The time he was accepted to Soltyce, coming home late and sneaking in after hanging out with Astrid and Eodwulf, reading with the original Frumpkin in his lap, his final dinner with his parents, the fire. The fire, even twenty years later he could still feel the heat that emanated from the house, and he could hear the screams of his parents in the back of his head. Caleb’s breaths quickened and tears streamed down his face. 

“I’m so sorry, Mutti and Vater,” Caleb whispered as he wiped the tears off his cheek. 

He continued through the town. Caleb remembered that Blumenthal had a small cemetery that he hoped his parents were put to rest in. 

The cemetery had grown since Caleb last saw it, but that was bound to happen. Twenty years had passed. It did not take long to find his parents' grave. Next to their grave was Astrid’s parents’ and Eodwulf’s parents’. Caleb wandered to a small patch of flowers and picked three flowers out. He placed one in front of each gravestone. Caleb sat down, facing the grave of his parents. He snapped Frumpkin into the world and began to stroke his as he stared at the stone in front of him. Caleb stayed there for hours, remembering all the good memories he had of his childhood. It wasn’t until the sun began to rise that he realized how long he had been in the cemetery. He was about the reach for his bag when a voice interrupted his action. 

“Excuse sir, are you alright?” Albert called to the man his wife had mentioned. 

Caleb slowly stood up and turned around to look at the man that called out to him. Caleb hoped that the man was just a regular citizen of the town and that he would not recognize Caleb. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

There was silence when Caleb turned around. Albert felt a sudden rush of recognition when he turned around. It could not possibly be, but the face was so familiar to him. He remembered Bren’s bright blue eyes that stared back at him at this very moment. But it couldn’t be. Bren hadn’t been seen for years since he left for the academy in Rexxentrum. The man stood there looking so similar to his old friend but now with a beard. Bren would not grow a beard.

Albert whispered, “Bren? Is that you?”

Caleb froze at the mention of Bren, but he recognized the stranger as well. Of course, he was much older now, but Caleb knew who it was. It was Albert, another boy his age in town. He wasn’t close to him like he was with Eodwulf or Astrid, but they knew each other.

“Ja, it’s me,” Caleb responded.

“Where have you been?”

“Everywhere really”

“Do you want anything to eat?” Albert asked, “My wife is finishing up cooking back at the inn. We could talk there.”

“Ja, that would be nice”

Caleb grabbed his bag from the ground and followed Albert back into the town. They made their way to the inn in silence. It was quite awkward for both of them, running into someone they hadn’t seen for close to twenty years. Albert entered the inn first, and Caleb followed behind him. 

“Helena! I’m back,” He called out, “I hope we have enough food for an extra guest.”

They sat down at one of the tables, as Helena brought out three bowls of porridge from the kitchen. 

“Helena, I would like you to meet the strange man you saw in the cemetery, Bren Ermendrud,”

Caleb interrupted Albert’s introduction, “I actually don’t go by Bren any more. I am now Caleb Widogast. I haven’t been Bren for a very long time,” Caleb held his hand out to Helena, “but it is very nice to meet you, Helena.”

“I don’t want to be rude, but what have you been doing all these years?” Albert asked.

Caleb sighed, “I did not do much for a long time after that night, but mainly I have been traveling and doing work for people.”

“Do you work with Eodwulf and Astrid? You all disappeared at the same time.”

“I am the first to return then. Figures, they both probably still believe our parents were traitors,”

“Traitors?”

Caleb chuckled, “You don’t know. No one figured it out? All of our parents died the same night and then we are nowhere to be seen. Think about it Al,” Caleb paused to give Albert time to think. It took a couple of seconds for the dots to connect in his head. When he connected them, Caleb said exactly what Albert was thinking, “We killed them. That’s why you haven’t seen us. Astrid and Eodwulf are pawns of the Empire and I went crazy and spent eleven years in the Vergesson Sanatorium. Now, if you don’t mind, I should be going. Thank you for breakfast.” Caleb stood up from the table and walked out the door.

**Author's Note:**

> There aren't enough fics where Caleb goes back to Blumenthal.   
> Join my Critical Role Fanfiction Discord https://discord.com/invite/NspNbDw


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